Help with my Fitness/Gym routine.

Been training for 1-2 years, maybe 1 seriously.

Finally settled on a 3 day split (push/pull/legs), but finding it hard to fit around Karate training on Wednesday/Saturdays which can be very variable in terms of intensity/cardio and Muscle soreness afterwards.

Here is my routine, any pointers? I also cycle to work every (week) day but its only 3.5 miles/15 mins each way, so just enough to keep the cardio up.

I am also seeing a Physio for a niggly shoulder, which he has given me various exercises that I am supposed to do every day, mainly to strengthen my back (traps and delts) and improve posture.

That’s quite a lot, but if you can cope with the volume it looks good to me.

Do less stuff eg just concentrate on Squats, Deadlifts and maybe overhead press.

Bench press is not good for shoulder problems and a source of lots of common shoulder injuries even if done correctly (which very few people do as most people do it too high up the chest with ‘floating’ shoulders).

VOLUME!!!!
I’ve been working with a S&C coach, and the workouts seem to follow a pattern; First is a big lift or two. Get the heavy stuff done early. Next is assistance/volume; 3/4 exercises based around the bodypart you’re training. Finally is a finisher. This can be a barbell complex, a crossfit style circuit (prowler/farmer carry/battle ropes/burpees etc etc) to get as much lactic going as possible. I don’t know the methodology or rational for this but it’s what we do.

It may interest you, it may not. Just sharing.

I’d get yourself a girlfriend, tbh.

Bench press is not good for shoulder problems

I thought I’d wrecked my shoulder from years of heavy benching. Turns out if was the sofa (and lying on it at an angle to watch the TV). Five bloody years of shoulder pain…

I’d get yourself a girlfriend, tbh.

married, hence wanting to spend time in my garage/gym 😀

Couple of things come to mind:
– cumulative training load can easily creep up too high, depending other stress factors in your life (if you are on your 20s forget this). 2 rest days may seem like a lot but I’d add longer rest periods or really light weeks every 3-4 weeks.
– gym routine should be changed every 3-6 months, focus on different fitness are (strength, power, speed).
– think what are your goals? The current plan is bit of everything mixed up and this will make any gains quite slow.

Hard to give specific advise over the ‘net but I’d monitor overall fatigue carefully and would drop gym visits to 1-2 each if gym is supporting activity to Karate / cycling.

married, hence wanting to spend time in my garage/gym

😆

What are you training for? Do you have a set goal?

I ask because training for training sake seems to me to depend a lot on enthusiasm, and when it’s all gone…

Training for the sake of training is self-fulfilling. Routine and endorphins.

My goals, hmmm, apart from vanity and wanting to look good?

It is all really supporting the karate to be honest. I am 37 so really just trying to stay in shape, but strength, power & endurance for karate are all things I am keen to develop. We do a lot of grappling (yes in karate!!), and I always find my endurance and strength fading (I know I need to change the reps for each of these, strength, power, hypertrophy, endurance etc).

had a lot of people say drop the bench press, but can you really get any chest definition/growth/strength just with deadlifts?

No need to drop benchpress unless you’re getting shoulder pain.

Weighted dips are a useful option though.

No need to drop benchpress unless you’re getting shoulder pain.

in the OP:

I am also seeing a Physio for a niggly shoulder, which he has given me various exercises that I am supposed to do every day, mainly to strengthen my back (traps and delts) and improve posture.